Cole Swindell’s ‘Make Heaven Crowded’ Lyrics About More Than Charlie Kirk

The lyrics to Cole Swindell's new song "Make Heaven Crowded" were inspired by a speech made by Charlie Kirk's widow, but the ballad is bigger than a reaction to tragedy.

Swindell's simple suggestion is what many Americans are calling for and perhaps even what the country needs: a little less rhetoric, a lot less yelling and some sustained effort to find similarities, not differences.

• Swindell wrote "Make Heaven Crowded" with Greylan James, Joel Hutsell and Blake Pendergrass.
• He says the seed was planted when he heard this speech from Kirk's widow, Erika.
• Earlier this month, Swindell began the Happy Hour Sad Tour. He'll be on the road through October.

To date, Swindell's biggest hits have been brought party vibes ("Chillin' It," "She Had Me at Heads Carolina") or breakup vibes ("Ain't Worth the Whiskey," "Break Up In the End"). He's very good at finding the center of an emotional issue others struggle to sing about.

The best example is "You Should Be Here," written about his success in the wake of losing his father. Another James co-write called "Dale Jr." also nods to dad, as well as late NASCAR champion Dale Earnhardt. He's fearless in the most unassuming way.

During "Make Heaven Crowded," the hitmaker is simply imagining a world that paid a little more attention to God and values taught in the Bible. It's apolitical and unassailable and perhaps something we should all consider.

Cole Swindell, "Make Heaven Crowded" Lyrics

I’ve blamed my sinning on I ain’t no saint / I’ve bit my tongue, said that it ain’t my place / And I’ve kept Jesus in the backseat, but I can’t longer / After what we all saw last week / I can’t help but wonder.

Chorus:
What if churches had a longer line outside than all them bars on Friday night / What if people prayed for people who ain’t on their side / What if good ran off the bad, them streets of gold up there’d be packed / This whole world would look a lot better than we found it / If we make heaven crowded.

What would the headlines and TV man say / If we didn’t give them no bad news to break / We all quit throwing punches and held out a helping hand / That devil couldn’t touch us, no he wouldn’t stand a chance.

Repeat Chorus

What if we all talk Jesus like a friend / Talk to our friends about him and didn’t stop until we got everybody in.

What if churches had a longer line outside than all them bars on Friday night / What if people prayed for people who ain’t on their side / What if good ran off the bad, them streets of gold up there’d be packed / You and me could be the reason could be the reason that somebody found it / If we make heaven crowded.

If we make heave crowded.